Shoe with multiple selectable vamps

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the invention, a shoe for supporting and protecting the heel, sole and toes of a human foot has a base comprising a forward portion terminating at a toe end. The forward portion being configured and dimensioned to support the sole and toes of the foot of a user. The rear portion terminates at a heel end. The rear portion is configured and dimensioned to support the fleshy undersurface of the heel of the foot of the user. The shoe comprises a pair of elongated channels defined in the forward portion of the base, a vamp configured to overlie the instep of the user, and a pair of elongated channel-engaging members secured to the vamp, each of the channel engaging members being configured to slide into and mate with a respective elongated channel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a shoe which allows the user to customize the look of the same by removing and replacing the vamps of various style, decoration, color, material and so forth.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

(Not applicable)

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

(Not applicable)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, increasingly high standards for physical appearance in terms of style, clothing and the like have increased the need for a person to dress in a coordinated and stylish fashion. Thus, a person may require a great number of different types of various clothing. In the case of shoes, the possibilities for selection are relatively large, in so far as materials may range from conventional leather to fabric and plastic. Moreover, these materials make possible shoes in a wide range of color. Because they are small and thus serve to highlight a particular look, shoes may be worn in relatively bright and outlandish styles, such as shiny patent leather and synthetic finishes, bright colors such as red, and more exotic finishes such as jewels. While, in principle, such a range of personal expression may be found in other garments such as jackets and dresses, the same is much more common in the case of shoes.

Accordingly, it one wishes to dress in a fashionable and attractive manner, one may be required to have shoes having a great range of color, finish and materials.

As expensive and challenging as this may be, the problem is multiplied in the case of travel, where multiple shoes may present a relatively large burden during transport, for example in travel to and from the airports, and perhaps more seriously during onboard storage, which is favored by many travelers today who recognize the value of traveling light.

However, traveling light is almost not an option if one wishes to have in one's disposal, during travel, for example business travel, a reasonable range of shoes. In addition to the inconvenience and weight of multiple pairs of shoes, the traveler must also deal with very serious space limitations imposed on carry-on luggage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a shoe is provided which is of relatively lightweight and compact construction, while at the same time capable of exhibiting various appearances. The inventive shoe is also advantageous for reasons of its economy, sturdy construction and convenience.

In accordance with the invention, a shoe for supporting and protecting the heel, sole and toes of a human foot has a base comprising a forward portion terminating at a toe end. The forward portion being configured and dimensioned to support the sole and toes of the foot of a user. The rear portion terminates at a heel end. The rear portion is configured and dimensioned to support the fleshy undersurface of the heel of the foot of the user. The shoe comprises a pair of elongated channels defined in the forward portion of the base, a vamp configured to overlie the instep of the user, and a pair of elongated channel-engaging members secured to the vamp, each of the channel engaging members being configured to slide into and mate with a respective elongated channel.

The shoe further comprises an enclosed back part or counter that is secured to the rear portion of the base to fully contain and support the ankle of a human foot. A heel is secured to the rear portion of the base adjacent to the heel end and a top lift secured to the heel.

The base comprises a flexible base member or a plastic or rubber-like base member defining the heel end and the toe end, and a support plate secured to the forward portion of the base defining a left support plate side and a right support plate side. The support plate comprises a metal, with the left support plate side being configured to define a curled edge. This curled edge forms an elongated channel.

Alternatively, the support plate comprises a metal, with two slits open at the forward portion each having a closed end at the rear portion. The base having circular, elongated channels open at the forward portion and closed at the rear portion. These slits and circular, elongated channels accommodate the channel-engaging members secured to the vamp.

A third embodiment of the support plate would comprise a metal with two elongated channels having a circular opening at the forward portion. The base having circular, elongated channels under the two elongated channels of the support plate. The channels accommodating the channel-engaging members.

The elongated channel-engaging member is stitched to the vamp. The vamp comprises a flexible member having a forward edge, a rear edge, a left side edge and a right side edge. The elongated channel-engaging members comprise a pair of ball chains each being secured to the side edges.

An insole is mounted on top of the support plate to provide cushioning for the foot and also acting as a shock absorber against the forward moving motion of the person wearing the shoe.

The vamp may be made of materials such as leather, fabric or plastic that can accommodate the channel-engaging member.

A strap is attached to the counter to securely hold the ankle of a human foot and provide further stability to counter against forces associated with walking or other similar activities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS

The structure and use of the inventive shoe will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a construction of a shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1 a is a cross-sectional view of the shoe of FIG. 1 along lines 1 a-1 a of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 illustrates the inventive shoe of FIG. 1 in exploded perspective;

FIG. 3 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the shoe of the present invention employing a plastic sole;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 3 along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment channeling engaging member in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another channel engaging mechanism;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view illustrating the channel engaging member of the vamp engaging structure of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment of the inventive shoe employing a strap to give the structure additional mechanical stability.

FIG. 9 illustrates the strap as it attaches to both sides of the vamp;

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative channel-engaging mechanism;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating the channel engaging members positioned in the channel illustrated in FIG. 10 and

FIGS. 12 a and 12 b illustrate respectivelys the support plate and base of yet another alternative channel-engaging mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the inventive shoe 10 comprises a removable front section or vamp 12 that covers much of the front end of a foot. Removable front section 12 can be made up of any suitable material or materials such as leather or fabric. Other alternatives include fabric with embroidery, plastic, fabric supporting jewels, and exotic papers. If desired materials such as textiles, papers and the like may be treated with suitable substances to improve their longevity and serviceability, such as waterproof coatings and the like.

The mechanism with which the front section 12 is held in place may be understood with reference to FIGS. 1 a and 2. In particular, front section 12 comprises a fabric member 15. Fabric member 15 which forms the front of the shoe 10 is secured by a ball and chain structure 14 from FIG. 2. More particularly, ball and chain structure 14 is attached to the bottom edge 17 of the leather or fabric cover that forms removable front section 12.

Ball and chain structure 14 comprises balls 19 and links 21 in the manner of a conventional ball chain used in a variety of applications such as lamp pulls, keychains and the like. Ball and chain structure 14 may be made of steel or any suitable material. Ball and chain structure 14 is secured to bottom edge 17 of vamp 12 by stitching with a thread 23. Ball and chain structure 14 is secured to the sole of the shoe by sliding into a channel 16 that is positioned alongside the edges of the front portion or vamp 12 of shoe 10.

Channel 16 is formed with in a support plate 30. Support plate 30 is secured to the forward portion of base 28 which forms outsole 18, using glue or any other suitable technique, such as stitching through holes provided in plate 30. Support plate 30 may be made up metal or any suitable material. Channel 16 is defined and support plate 30 by the curled left and right edges 31 and 33 of support plate 30. Channel 16 is configured and dimensioned to slidingly receive ball and chain structure 14, and to retain ball and chain structure 14 in place even when it is subjected to relatively strong upward forces, for example those forces associated with walking or other activity. The retention of front section 12 in place is achieved with the help of frictional force. Such force 3 is present because ball and chain structure 14 is snugly received in channel 16 and frictionally engaged by channel 16.

Channel 16 is designed to keep the ball and chain in place so that the front section 12 stays in place with the help of the frictional force. Channel 16 is configured as a groove. The gripping action can be improved by making plate 30 of a spring material, such as spring steel and configuring it slightly smaller than the diameter of balls 19.

The bottom sole or outsole 18, which comes in direct contact with the ground during walking, is preferably made up of either rubber or leather or other material selected for its long wearing characteristic and weatherproofness.

The enclosed back or counter 20 at the end of the shoe supports the heel of the foot of the user and can be made of, for example, plastic, leather or fabric to accommodate the overall design of the shoe. A heel support 22 is positioned underneath the back end 23 of the inventive shoe 10 to serve its typical function of elevating the height of the user. The height of the heel support structure 22 can be selected from a range of heights, for example high, medium and as required to meet the needs or desires of a particular user. The heel structure 22 is usually made of plastic or wood with a bottom tip or top lift 24 that is usually made of rubber, or other long wearing and/or shock absorbing material.

An insole 26 is placed upon plate 30 (FIG. 2) that rests on top of the outsole and is usually made of a soft spongy material such as foam rubber or soft rubber.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of inventive shoe 10 more clearly illustrating its different elements 12-30, as described above. Base 28 of inventive shoe 10 is secured to and supports enclosed back or counter 20, heel structure 22 and outer sole 18.

Referring to FIG. 1 a, it is seen that the vamp 12, made of fabric 15 is stitched to ball is held in channels 16 formed by the curled up edges 31, 33 of plate 30. Insole 26 rests on plate 30, and provides a comfortable support for the wearer of the shoe. If desired insole 30 may extend from the front of the shoe to above the heel and secured in place by an adhesive or other suitable material.

When it is desired to use the inventive shoe 10, the wearer takes in hand the base comprising base structure 28 (sometimes referred to as the shoe last), which provides the anatomical support for the foot, together with plate 30, insole 26 and heel 22 secured to it. Because base structure 28 is made of wood or high density plastic, it is relatively rigid. This allows the user to grasp the vamp 12 and feed ball chain 14, starting with ball 19 a, into left channel 16, sliding the balls one after another into the channel. Simultaneously, the balls 19 on the right side of vamp 12 are advanced and to right channel 16. The two ball chains of those slid into their respective channels, where they are secured on account of being grasped by channels 16. The shoe may then be put on the foot in conventional fashion and will be retained there during walking, sitting and so forth.

FIGS. 3-five is a frontal view of an alternative embodiment of the inventive shoe 110 in which the removable top 112 is secured in place by a plastic groove engaging member 114 which is illustrated most clearly in FIG. 5. In place of the ball and chain of FIG. 1, plastic groove engaging member 114 provides an inexpensive and easy to manufacture alternative. Groove engaging member 114 includes a plurality of optional holes 142 through which thread may be used to secure groove engaging member 114 to vamp 112. While the illustrated embodiment shows a vamp 112 made of textile material, other materials are also usable to form vamp 112, such as plastic, leather or the like.

Also in contrast to the metal plate 30 of the Figure one embodiment, intake grooves 132 (FIG. 4) are defined in plastic support plate 130 by pairs of arcuate ridges 152, 154 and 156, 158, which engage respective groove engaging members 114, one of which is sewn to the right and left sides of vamp 112. in accordance with the invention, support plate may be secured through, for example, a leather outsole 134, or the outsole may be made of plastic and be integral with support plate 30.

As shown in FIG. 5 groove engaging member 114 may include a needle like tip portion 145 to facilitate pushing the same into intake grooves 132.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7, yet another method of removal only securing a selectable vamp to a shoe base is illustrated. Shoe 210 comprises an outersole 212. Outersole 212 supports a plate 214. Plate 214 includes a curved portion 216 which engages the curved portion 218 of support 220.

A selectable vamp 222 is secured by threads 224 to support 220. This allows different vamps 222 (for example in different materials, colors and decorations) to be carried by the user, for example in the user's carry-on baggage onto an airplane with a minimal amount of weight and volume.

Turning to FIG. 8, yet another alternative in accordance with the invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the inventive shoe 310 includes a lower strap 360 secured to vamp 312. Vamp 312 is secured to innersole 314 in the manner of the previous embodiments. Additional security is provided by a strap 360 permanently secured to vamp 312, and a strap 362 secured to counter 320. Strap 360 is secured to strap 362 by a buckle or any suitable fastening device secured at the ends 366 and 368 of the straps 360 and 362, respectively.

The conventional buckle 369 comprises a frame 370, a bar 372, and a prong 374 attached to bar 372. A loop 376 is also attached to strap 360 to secure the loose end of strap 362. Strap 362 has holes 378 which enable adjustment of the length of strap 362. Strap 362 runs through loop 321 at the top of counter 320 to the opposite side of the shoe where strap 362 attaches permanently to vamp 312. FIG. 9 further illustrates strap 362 secured permanently to vamp 312 on the opposite side of the shoe from the buckle.

In use, a user feeds strap 362 through a loop 321 at the top of counter 320 and then through frame 370. The user then pulls strap 362 to a desired length. Once the desired length is reached, the user secures strap 362 by placing prong 374 through the appropriate hole 378. The user then feeds the excess of strap 362 through loop 376 to secure the loose end of strap 362.

Turning to FIG. 10, another embodiment in accordance with the invention is illustrated. The inventive shoe 410 comprises base 412 secured to support plate 416. Base 412 comprises either rubber or leather or other material selected for its long wearing characteristic and weatherproofness. Further, base 412 contains circular openings 414 at the forward portion of the base. Circular openings 414 continue posteriorly creating a concave channel that comes to a closed end at the rear portion of the base. Support plate 416 comprises a metal with two slits 418 with an open end 420 at the front and a closed end 422 toward the rear.

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of channel-engaging members 424 secured to vamp 426. Channel-engaging members 424 engage base 412 which is also inillustrated in FIG. 10. Channel-engaging members 424 also engage plate 416. The slits 420 in support plate 416 accommodate chains 430, which secure balls 424 to vamp 426, thus securing vamp 426 in place.

In use, a user feeds the channel-engaging members 424 into circular openings 414 continuing into the elongated circular channel of base 412 until all channel-engaging members 424 are engaged.

FIG. 12 illustrates yet another embodiment in accordance with the invention illustrated. The inventive shoe 510 comprises a support plate 512. Support plate 512 comprises a metal and contains two elongated channels 516. Elongated channels 516 have a circular opening 514 at the forward portion of support plate 512 and a closed end 518 at the rear portion of support plate 512. Support plate is secured to base 520. Base 520 contains two elongated channels 522, wider than elongated channels 516 to accommodate the balls of the channel-engaging members. Elongated channels 522 having a rounded, closed end 524 and a closed end 526.

Alternatively, support plate 512 may have depressed portions 528, which have top surfaces positioned substantially level with the bottom of channels 516, allowing the user to feed a channel engaging member through the front of the shoe in the same manner as the embodiment of FIG. 10. The depressed portions are illustrated in phantom lines in FIGS. 10 and 12 a.

In use, a user feeds the channel-engaging members into circular opening 514 and thus elongated channels 516, 522. User continues to slide the channel-engaging members to the back of elongated channels 516,522; thus securing the vamp in place.

This provides an added degree of security and can be incorporated into a wide variety of shoes, such as running shoes and the like. While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, it is noted that various modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the above description and drawings. Such modifications are within the scope of the invention which is limited and defined only by the following claims. 

What is claimed:
 1. A shoe for supporting and protecting the heel, sole and toes of a human foot, comprising: a) a base comprising: (i) a forward portion terminating at a toe end, said forward portion being configured and dimensioned to support the sole and toes of the foot of a user, and (ii) a rear portion terminating at a heel end, said rear portion being configured and dimensioned to support the fleshy undersurface of the heel of the foot of the user; (b) a pair of elongated channels defined in said forward portion of said base; (c) a vamp configured to overlie the instep of the user; (d) a pair of elongated channel-engaging members secured to said vamp, each of said channel engaging members being configured to slide into and mate with a respective one of said elongated channels.
 2. A shoe as in claim 1, further comprising an enclosed back part or counter that is secured to the rear portion of said base to fully contain and support the ankle of a human foot.
 3. A shoe as in claim 1, further comprising a heel secured to the rear portion of said base adjacent said heel end.
 4. A shoe as in claim 2, further comprising a top lift secured to the said heel.
 5. A shoe as in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plastic or rubber-like base member, said base member defining said heel end and said toe end, and wherein said forward portion of said base is configured to define said elongated channel.
 6. A shoe as in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a flexible base member defining said heel end and said toe end, and a support plate secured to said forward portion of said base, said support plate defining a left support plate side and a right support plate side, said support plate comprising metal, said left support plate side being configured to define a curled edge, said curled edge forming said elongated channel, and said left support plate side being configured to define a curled edge, said curled edge forming said elongated channel.
 7. A shoe as in claim 5, wherein said elongated channel-engaging member is stitched to said vamp.
 8. A shoe as in claim 1, wherein said vamp comprises a flexible member having a forward edge, a rear edge, a left side edge and a right side edge, said elongated channel-engaging members being secured to said side edges.
 9. A shoe as in claim 7, wherein said elongated channel-engaging members comprise a pair of ball chains, each secured to one of said side edges.
 10. A shoe as in claim 8, wherein said base comprises a flexible base member defining said heel end and said toe end, and a support plate secured to said forward portion of said base, said support plate defining a left support plate side and a right support plate side, said support plate comprising metal, said left support plate side being configured to define a curled edge, said curled edge forming said elongated channel, and said left support plate side being configured to define a curled edge, said curled edge forming said elongated channel.
 11. A shoe as in claim 8, wherein the said support plate comprises a left support plate side and a right support plate side, said plate being secured to said base, said elongated channel engaging being a ball chains, each of said ball chains secured to one of said side edges.
 12. A shoe as in claim 1, wherein an insole is mounted on top of the support plate to provide cushioning for the foot and also acting as a shock absorber against the forward moving motion of the person wearing the shoe.
 13. A shoe as in claim 7, wherein said vamp may be made of materials such as leather, fabric or plastic that can accommodate said channel-engaging member.
 14. A shoe as in claim 2, wherein a strap is attached to the said counter to securely hold the ankle of a human foot and provide further stability to counter against forces associated with walking or other similar activities. 